When it comes to deadly animals, the identities of the most prolific killers might surprise you. In most years, sharks are responsible for fewer than 10 fatalities globally. Estimates of deaths caused by lions fluctuate, but it’s generally thought to be less than 200. It’s probably a good idea to steer clear of direct run-ins with lions, but by the numbers, they’re significantly less deadly than another large African mammal: the hippopotamus.
Despite being herbivores that love to eat leaves and fruit, hippos are responsible for about 500 human fatalities every year. These powerful animals regularly weigh over 3,000 pounds (though some large males can weigh twice that) and are surprisingly fast both in and out of the water. They can be very aggressive and will attack when they feel their territory is being encroached upon, including charging at boats and tipping them over. For those unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of a hippo’s wrath, perhaps the biggest concern is the hippo’s powerful jaws and long canine teeth, which can grow up to 20 inches long. A hippo can bite with 1,800 psi of force, far exceeding the power of a lion’s jaws.
Other large animals to avoid? Although, like hippos, elephants are renowned herbivores, their sheer size makes them a danger to humans. Most of the estimated 500 elephant-related deaths each year are caused by trampling, usually when humans and elephants accidentally encounter each other due to habitat loss.
Huge, fast, and deadly, crocodiles are responsible for around 1,000 deaths per year. They don’t typically hunt humans, but if you cross their path, these territorial reptilians may suddenly view you as prey.
Dogs (mainly as vectors of rabies), venomous snakes and scorpions, assassin bugs, Ascaris roundworms, sand flies, and tsetse flies are all responsible for thousands of human deaths every year. Bees, bears, tigers, jellyfish, wolves, and horses are also responsible for scores of fatalities, whether intentionally or through accidents or stings. Deer-vehicle collisions are another notable cause of animal-related deaths.
Surprising (and not-so-surprising) killers:
- Freshwater snails of the class Gastropoda are responsible for a remarkably high number of deaths, causing over 200,000 fatalities annually. The snails themselves are essentially harmless, but they are often hosts to parasites, most notably flatworms known as flukes. For example, Schistosoma causes the deadly disease “schistosomiasis,” which is contracted when people come in contact with contaminated water.
- It’s probably not surprising to read that humans are the deadliest mammals on the planet. An estimated 475,000 intentional homicides occur every year around the world.
- Mosquitoes are the only animal responsible for more human deaths than our own species. Every year, up to one million people die from illnesses like malaria, Zika virus disease, dengue fever, and yellow fever that are unwittingly transmitted by these tiny insects, which are highly effective disease vectors for bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
